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View Full Version : Need help inserting cam into Crown Graphic TopRF



nonuniform
23-Mar-2012, 13:20
Figured it out. Fat fingers. Can't delete my original post.

Bill_1856
23-Mar-2012, 14:08
It really is a PAIN to change. There are a few things to must do to make it possible.
It CANNOT be changed when hand holding it. You MUST find yourself a good WELL-LIT table to work on. I suggest that you find one where your small children will not hear you say S**T, God***nit, and F**K, which you will probably be dong several times, especially when you drop the cam somewhere into the maw of the camera.!
1) tilt the front door down,
2) run the focusing track as far forward as it will go,
3) slide the front standard off the track, and tilt it all the way backward, leaving more room for your fingers when you open the cam cover
4)if you haven't removed the old cam yet, wiggle it back and forth with your thumb to make sure the cam follower is not sticking
5) look very carefully at the thing with a really good light, so you can see how it's supposed to go
6)with your thumb, press the old cam down firmly (against the top of the camera body) and slide it out (in the direction away from the viewfinder), rotating it so that the larger end of the cam slips out of the groove and away from the spring which located it in place.
7) turn the camera upside down and shake it until the loose cam falls out from where you dropped it. Do not do any major cursing yet -- save that for later.
8) take the new cam, remembering that the raised dots go "out" so you'll have something to grab onto with your thumb, and insert it into the groove. The square end of the larger end of the cam should go against the spring, and you'll have to push it to compress the spring so that the cam will have room to fit in the groove. This is the really tricky part, and will probably take SEVERAL TRIES before you can get it done. This is the hard/tricky part. If you haven't done it in 15 minutes, take a break and relax. Sometimes the damn thing slips right in like a miracle, other times it refuses to work no matter how hard you are working.
9) after you FINALLY get it in place, work it several times along the groove to make sure it is in correctly. Then put the front standard back like it belongs.
10) It is possible that you never do get it in. If in three weeks you still haven't managed it, PM me and I'll be back from vacation and try to make a little video for you.
11) Good luck! (This is one of the areas which was actually improved when Graflex went from the Crown to the Super Graphic).